1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to responding to threshold events from heterogeneous measurement sources on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Network administrators need to be able to get measurements from devices on a network. Examples of devices from which measurements may need to be taken include, for example, routers, switches, servers, clients, PCs, telecommunications equipment, voice gateways, etc. Network administrators sometimes need to set thresholds and determine whether scalar measurements from monitored network devices cross those thresholds. For example, a network administrator may want to be alerted when usage exceeds 80% of network capacity. When dealing only with network devices that are controlled by one protocol, for example, SNMP, setting such thresholds and being alerted when they are violated is well known in the art.
However, multiple other protocols exist, such as XML and CMIP, that are also used to monitor network devices in some networks. Scalar measurement data from a plurality of network devices that are not all monitored using the same protocol is heterogeneous as to its source. In networks containing network devices that are controlled by heterogeneous protocols, network administrators are required to individually set thresholds for each distinct protocol, monitor the network devices controlled by that protocol, and generate threshold events accordingly. In some instances, network administrators create individualized ad hoc solutions. For example, in a network containing CMIP and SNMP protocols, a CMIP management system can be set up with a gateway to receive SNMP data. The gateway then changes the SNMP data into CMIP data. However, each such solution must be individually designed, tested, and implemented. Such individual design, testing, and implementation occupies valuable time and resources. A need exists for a universal data model that is able to set a common threshold for the heterogeneous scalar measurement data and to respond to common threshold events in networks that monitor heterogeneous network devices.
The present invention provides a universal data model that is able to set a common threshold for heterogeneous scalar measurement data and to respond to common threshold events in networks that monitor heterogeneous network devices.
The present invention provides a system that collects heterogeneous scalar measurement data over a network from a plurality of devices connected to the network, and automatically normalizes the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data based on a threshold to generate an event based on a threshold crossing. In an embodiment, the system automatically derives a measurement from the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data, and automatically scales the derived measurement or the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data. In another embodiment, the system normalizes the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data, the scaled derived measurement, the scaled collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data, or the derived measurement.
The present invention provides a system that includes a plurality of data collectors to collect heterogeneous scalar measurement data from a plurality of network devices. The system also includes a derivation unit to derive a measurement from the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data. The system further includes a scaling unit to scale the derived measurement or the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data. The system also includes a normalization unit to normalize the scaled derived measurement, the scaled collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data, the derived measurement, or the collected heterogeneous scalar measurement data, based on a threshold. The system further includes an event generation unit to generate an event based on the normalized data when the threshold is crossed.
These together with other advantages that will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.